Ever get that feeling you’re stuck in a loop so tangled, even your own brain hits the reset button? Well, Jessica Rothe’s latest sci-fi thriller, Affection, dives headfirst into that cosmic déjà vu—only this time, it’s all nightmare, no snooze button. With Mercury probably doing some chaotic dance in the stars, messing with communication and memory, what better moment for a film about a woman named Ellie who literally can’t remember her own life or family? Directed by BT Meza, whose personal nerves and fears fuel this psycho-celestial ride, Affection is set to launch under the eerie glow of the moon at this year’s Screamfest Horror Film Festival—yep, the one and only longest-running horror fest in the States. And if you’re wondering whether memory resets and looping nightmares might be the new cosmic trend, you’re not alone… So buckle up, ’cause this flick’s about to trap you in its cyclical grip before you can say “Didn’t I see this part already?”
A while back, we heard that Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day, Happy Death Day 2 U, Boy Wills World) and Joseph Cross (Devotion, Mank, Licorice Pizza) had signed on to star in BT Meza’s directorial debut, the sci-fi thriller Affection. Now the film is starting to make its way out into the world. Variety reports that it’s set to be the opening night film at Screamfest Horror Film Festival, the longest-running horror festival in the United States. This year’s edition of the festival will take place from October 7 to October 16 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Our friends at Bloody Disgusting note that it will also be screening at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival on October 18. Before we get to those dates, Variety reports that the worldwide sales rights for Affection have been acquired by Blue Finch Films, and the company plans to start presenting the project to potential distributors at the American Film Market next month. Here’s hoping that deals will be secured very quickly.
Julianna Layne (Scrap, Prodigal Son, Inexistent) co-stars in Affection. Meza directed from his own script, telling the story of Ellie (Rothe), who is stuck in a cyclical nightmare. Grappling with a condition that erratically resets her memory, she’s left unable to remember her husband (Cross) or daughter (Julianna Layne). Each reset leaves her disoriented and haunted with vivid memories of a life she’s never lived. Here’s another synopsis: Ellie Carter has never met the man who calls himself her husband, doesn’t recognize the girl who calls her mother, and can’t remember the life she is told is her own. Afflicted by violent seizures that reset her memory without warning, she is trapped in a cyclical nightmare, struggling to uncover the horrifying truth of her existence—before she forgets it all over again.
Meza produced the film with Bay Dariz, Austin Walk, and JP Ouellette. Christian Henderson and Christy Walker serve as executive producers. The writer/director provided the following statement: “This story comes from a deeply personal place, drawn from my emotions, memories, and fears, and I wanted to use sci-fi horror as the lens to explore them. I’m thrilled to be partnering with Blue Finch Films, whose passion for bold and distinctive genre cinema makes them the perfect home for this project.” Mike Chapman of Blue Finch Films added, “We are really impressed by BT’s debut, a smart and cathartic genre cocktail which will no doubt please genre fans.“
I was sold on this movie as soon as I saw that it was thriller starring Jessica Rothe, who I thought was awesome in the Happy Death Day movies. I hope those of us who won’t be attending its festival screenings will have a chance to see it soon.
Are you looking forward to Affection? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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